


Stay with Me, Lay with Me

by my_chemical_romanoff



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-29 03:33:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8473804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/my_chemical_romanoff/pseuds/my_chemical_romanoff
Summary: Oswald seeks the comfort of a dear friend.





	

He carefully presses against the heavy door and hears the rustling of bed sheets as it creaks open. “It’s me,” he says aloud. The room is dark, but he can make out the silhouette of his friend seated upright with one leg out of the bed.

              “What’s happening?” Edward asks. His voice is thick with sleep, but it takes on a growing alarm.

              “Nothing,” Oswald quickly replies. He allows himself into the bedroom and watches as Ed’s slender form begins to rise. “Don’t!” he stammers as Ed reaches for his glasses. “Don’t get up…” he gently adds.

              “Are you okay?” Edward wonders.

              “Fine.”

              “I can make you some tea,” he offers.

              Oswald shakes his head and takes a step deeper into the bedroom. With each step, he feels himself regress in age. There was once a routine to Oswald’s late night post-nightmare wanderings. Only then, he had his mother awaiting him with open arms. His feet stop as reality creeps back in. _She’s dead._

              “Oswald?”

Edward’s soothing voice helps keep him together. “May I sleep here tonight?” he quietly asks.

              Edward relaxes in his bed and pats the pillow next to his. “Okay,” he agrees.

              Oswald detects a smile in his voice and he proceeds towards the bed. For a moment, he pictures his mother beckoning him, but he fights away the thought as he kicks off his slippers and lies down beside his friend.

              “Nightmare?” Edward prods.

              “Yes,” Oswald solemnly answers. As a child, this part of his late night trip would be followed by arms encircling him and pulling him close.

              “Would you like to talk about it?”

              His eyes have adjusted to the dark, and those of his friend’s are giving him a concerned stare. “No.” A lump forms in Oswald’s throat. “No, go back to sleep.”

              “Alright,” Edward breathes. There’s a pause as the two watch one another in silence. “Goodnight, Oswald.”

              “Goodnight, Ed.”

              He rolls onto his side, presenting his back to Oswald.

              The room falls quiet once more and Oswald observes the back of his friend’s head. He fixates on the sound of his breathing, and as it slows, Oswald focuses on syncing his every inhale and exhale with Edward’s.  The nightmare becomes a fog that he pushes to the back of his mind as he reflects on what Edward had told him earlier that evening.

              _“I will do anything for you…”_

_Anything?_ Oswald thinks to himself as he watches the subtle rise and fall of his friend’s side.

              _“You can always count on me.”_

The beating of his heart quickens. _Yes_. _I can._ “Thank you, Ed,” he murmurs. His hand reaches out to gingerly press his fingertips against Edward’s bare shoulder.

He doesn’t flinch, nor do his muscles tense beneath Oswald’s cool touch. “Get some rest, Mr. Mayor,” Edward hums.

              Oswald brings his hand close to his chest as a Cheshire grin spreads across his lips. He feels pride in his newest title, but there’s also the pride in knowing that he has someone he can depend on-someone who has vowed to always be there for him. Oswald hasn’t had that kind of someone since his mother. He chuckles to himself as he recalls their first encounter. He thought that Edward was standing too close, and now being at his side oddly doesn’t feel close enough. His eyes close and as his heart races, he struggles to match his breathing with Edward’s. Happiness is rare to Oswald, but since earning the title of Mayor fair and square, his life is looking that much brighter. He easily falls into a dreamless slumber. With Edward near, the nightmares are kept at bay. Oswald won’t have things any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm open to prompts, be it writing or art! I think I'll be writing some smut next...


End file.
